Coyo Taco Expanding, But Not in October

WhenCoyo Taco's Sven Vogtland woke up this morning, his phone was deluged with texts and messages. "I was shocked. I got a ton of emails saying congratulations, and I wasn't sure why."

The well wishes were in response to an article posted in Coconut Grove Grapevine that Coyo Taco would open a pop-up location at the former Johnny Rocket's space across from Cocowalk in October. The story, which cites a Coyo manager as the source, says that the pop-up would be around for an extended period, ranging from six months - two years, depending on the lease deal signed.

Vogtland explains that, although Coyo Taco has plans of expanding and is actively looking at locations, opening a Grove location in the fall is just not in the cards. "That's not really the case. The story is not factually right. We were looking at Coconut Grove and Coral Gables and we would have loved the Johnny Rockets space. That was something on our radar."

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Vogtland addresses the reasoning behind the rumor. "If someone had this conversation three months ago, I might understand, but it's such a dead conversation. We are still actively looking at the Gables [and Grove]. This just didn't work out."

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The Coyo partner says that the plan is to open another Coyo Taco in the near future, confiding that his team just recently toured three properties. He wouldn;t say where they were. "We want to find the perfect location." That includes a pop-up, if the right opportunity comes along. "For sure, I think a pop-up to test the waters could work for us and it's enticing to us. Feeling out a neighborhood before we really commit to a 15-year plan is a good idea."

Vogtland also says there might be an even bigger picture for Coyo Taco in the future. "There's been a lot of interest nationally and internationally from hotels and restaurateurs for licensing agreements."

Coyo, a popular spot in Wywood, caters to most every need — from breakfast tacos in the morning to smoky mezcal margaritas at night. Executive chef Scott Linquist serves up an interesting array of sophisticated takes on MExican street fare using fresh ingredients like charred octopus, grilled local fish, and slow roasted pork shoulder. A tortillera makes as many as 1,000 tortillas a day to order to accommodate the lines that can spill out into the street on weekends and at lunchtime.

Right now, though, the focus is on Miami. "Coyo has exceeded our expectations. There's an intangible happening here. It's something else besides great tacos, a good lounge with great music, and great drinks. People are traveling to Wynwood to come to Coyo, and a few have compared it to a lifestyle brand. We could only have imagined this in our dreams."

Laine Doss is the food and spirits editor for Miami New Times. She has been featured on Cooking Channel's Eat Street and Food Network's Great Food Truck Race. She won an Alternative Weekly award for her feature about what it's like to wait tables.

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